Hot Cross Buns
Makes: 15 buns
INGREDIENTS
300ml milk, plus 2 tbsp
50g butter
500g All purpose flour
1 tsp salt
75g caster sugar
1 tbsp sunflower oil
7g sachet active dried yeast
1 egg, beaten
100g FreshLife sultanas
zest 1 orange
1 apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
CROSSES
75g All purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
GLAZE
3 tbsp apricot jam
METHOD
Bring milk to the boil, then remove from the heat and add 50g butter. Leave to cool to room temperature.
Place the flour, salt, caster sugar and yeast into a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the warm milk and butter mixture, then add the beaten egg. Using a wooden spoon, mix well, then bring everything together with your hands until you have a sticky dough.
Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead by holding the dough with one hand and stretching it with the heal of the other hand, then folding it back on itself. Repeat for 5 mins until smooth and elastic. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with oiled cling wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr or until doubled in size and a finger pressed into it leaves a dent.
With the dough still in the bowl, tip in the sultanas, orange zest, finely chopped apple and ground cinnamon. Knead into the dough, making sure everything is well distributed. Leave to rise for 1 hr more, or until doubled in size, again covered by some well-oiled cling wrap to stop the dough getting a crust.
Divide the dough into 15 even pieces (about 75g per piece). Roll each piece into a smooth ball on a lightly floured work surface. Arrange the buns on one or two baking trays lined with baking paper, leaving enough space for the dough to expand. Cover (but don’t wrap) with more oiled cling film, or a clean tea towel, then set aside to prove for 1 hr more.
Heat oven to 220 degrees C/ 200 degrees C fan. For the cross, mix the flour with about 5 tbsp water to make a paste – add the water 1 tbsp at a time, so you add just enough for a thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag with a small nozzle. Pipe a line along each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create crosses. Bake for 20 mins on the middle shelf of the oven, until golden brown.
Gently heat 3 tbsp apricot jam to melt, then sieve to get rid of any chunks. While the jam is still warm, brush over the top of the warm buns and leave to cool.